FEDERAL WAY, Wash. – The Linfield women's swimming team captured its first team championship in 30 years, running away with the 2023 title on Sunday at the Northwest Conference Championships, which wrapped up a four-day run at Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatics Center.
 
The Linfield women captured the program's first NWC swimming championship since 1993. They claimed the first crown by an Oregon-based school since 1994. The Wildcat men ended the meet third overall among the nine competing NWC schools after finishing fourth last season.
 
In all, the Linfield men and women combined to win five individual titles on Sunday and eight overall to go along with seven relay titles.
 
Linfield's Kyle Kimball was named NWC Women's Swimming Coach of the Year. Wildcats freshman Sarah Arpag was singled out as the women's NWC Rookie of the Year.
 
The women's team standings ended up as follows: Linfield 693, Whitman 638, Puget Sound 417, Pacific Lutheran 368, Whitworth 341, Willamette 277, Lewis & Clark 202, George Fox 180, Pacific 133.
 
The men's team results: Whitman 625, Whitworth 610.5, Linfield 534, Puget Sound 342, Lewis & Clark 281.5, Willamette 256, Pacific Lutheran 237, George Fox 228, Pacific 113.
 
WOMEN
Linfield claimed three of the top four positions in the 1,650 freestyle. Wildcats freshman Kirsti Keppo rallied from behind during the latter third of the race, shaving more than 35 seconds off her seeded entry time. Keppo overtook NWC leader Sara Guillen of Puget Sound, winning in 17:49.10 while moving up to No. 3 on Linfield's all-time chart.
 
Arpag left no doubt in winning the 200 butterfly race. Her school-record time of 2:05.75 bettered Puget Sound's Madeleine Brennan, who earlier edged Arpag for the 100 butterfly title. Abbi Karsseboom was sixth with a personal-best time of 2:24.22.
 
Kalea Mullins dropped 37 seconds off her previous best 1,650 mark to secure third place in 18:05.23. Kaylee Elsom was fourth in 18:17.52, cutting more than a full minute from her top time coming into the race.
 
Led by Kate Walkup's record-setting effort in the 200 backstroke, Linfield grabbed two of the top three spots in the 200 backstroke. Walkup blazed to a 2:04.11 finish, breaking the Linfield record of 2:04.39 held since 2009 by graduated All-American and national runner-up Rose Hollingsworth. Avery Campbell registered a season-best effort of 2:06.87 to lock up third place, further adding to the Wildcats' team points total.
 
Lauren Bobo-Shisler recorded a new personal best time on her way to placing third in the 100 freestyle (53.48). Maggie Kelley (54.84) was eighth.
 
Whitney Averill recorded a personal best in the 200 breaststroke (2:27.76), placing sixth. Claudia Velie sewed up ninth place (2:28.91).
 
The Wildcats completed a sweep of all five relays in the day's final event, the 400 freestyle relay, finishing in a school-record time of 3:33.98 to cut five seconds off their previous best time. The quartet of Bobo-Shisler, Arpag, Kelley and Walkup teamed to surpass the standing record of 3:34.12 set in 2018.
 
MEN
Ben Simpson successfully defended his NWC title in the 200 butterfly. The Wildcats senior clocked a career-best 1:50.21 in Sunday's preliminaries to notch a NCAA provisional qualifying time, then topped that effort with a championship-winning swim in the finals (1:49.66). Jack Gallo placed 10th in 1:57.37 and Levi Buker was 12th in 1:58.85.
 
Linfield sophomore Gavin Smith pulled out a surprising victory in the 1,650 freestyle. Finishing in 16:21.82, Smith made a 33-second improvement from his seeded entry time while supplanting Whitworth senior Connor Florey as conference champion.
 
Cutting more than a full second off his entry time, Edan Donaldson broke his own school record in the 100 freestyle (45.22) on the way to a runner-up finish. Garrett Sutton placed fifth (season-best 46.63), Carson Washburn (47.01) took eighth and Noah Norris was ninth (46.89).
 
Alex Landry added to the Wildcats' point total with a fourth-place effort in the 200 breaststroke (season-best 2:10.09). Sasha Moore earned seventh place (season-best 2:12.00).
 
In the 400 freestyle relay, Linfield's foursome of Donaldson, Sutton, Washburn and Simpson set a new school record, surging to the finish line to knock off defending champion Whitworth, 3:02.82 to 3:05.09. The Wildcats' time eclipsed the standing record of 3:02.99 set in 2020.
 
 
LINFIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Women's 400 Medley Relay
Women's 800 Freestyle Relay
Women's 200 Medley Relay
Men's 200 free relay
Women's 200 free relay
Women's 400 freestyle relay
Men's 400 freestyle relay
Kate Walkup 400 IM
Edan Donaldson 100 butterfly
Avery Campbell 100 backstroke
Kate Walkup 200 backstroke
Gavin Smith 1,650 freestyle
Kirsti Keppo 1,650 freestyle
Sarah Arpag 200 butterfly
Ben Simpson 200 butterfly

RECORDS BROKEN
Avery Campbell 50 backstroke (split on 200 medley relay)
Kate Walkup 200 backstroke
Sarah Arpag 200 butterfly
Edan Donaldson 100 freestyle
Men's 400 freestyle relay
Women's 400 free relay